1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to testing in general and more particularly to the testing and reporting on the operability and/or readiness of units within a computing installation.
2. Prior Art
The use of computing systems for gathering, processing and disseminating information is well known in the prior art. A typical computing system consists of several sub-systems coupled through a communications network to a host computer. Depending on the type of computing system, the intelligence may reside at the main computer or is shared with the sub-systems. Whether the system's intelligence is in the main computer or is shared with the sub-systems, the operability of the overall system is of maximum importance to a user since most business data and records are stored in the system and failure in the system prevents a user from retrieving needed information and/or processing new information.
In order to establish and/or maintain the operability of a computing system, the prior art has set forth several testing techniques and devices. Examples of the prior art techniques and/or devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. RE30037; 4,034,195; 4,280,285; 4,270,178; 4,414,669 and 4,464,722. The general approach is to test the operability of remote units and/or sub-assemblies from the central controller.
Although the prior art approaches are satisfactory for their intended purposes, there are several situations in which it is desirable to test the sub-systems and/or remote units at the respective sub-system and/or remote unit level without relying on the assistance of the central controller. The ability to test the system's operability at the unit and/or sub-system level is of particular importance where the sub-systems and/or units may be placed at different locations within an establishment and the units are not necessarily within sight of each other.